THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

DAVIS 


IN  MEMORY  OF 
HARRY  MONTEFIORE  GOLDBERG 

PRESENTED  BY 
Josa  Goldberg 


WESTERN  CLASSICS 
N2  TWO 


THE  CASE  OF 
SUMMERFIELD 


THE   CASE   OF 
SUMMERFIELD 


BY  W.  H.  RHODES 

WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION  BY 

GERALDINE  BONNER 

THE   PHOTOGRAVURE  FRONTIS- 
PIECE FROM  AN  OIL  PAINTING  BY 

GALEN  J.  PERRETT 


PAUL  ELDER  ff»  COMPANY 
SAN  FRANCISCO  AND  NEW  YORK 


LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Copyright,  1907 
by  Paul  Elder  and  Company 


THE  INTRODUCTION 

The  greatest  master  of  the  short  story 
our  country  has  known  found  his  inspira- 
tion and  produced  his  best  work  in  Califor- 
nia. It  is  now  nearly  forty  years  since  "  The 
Luck  of  Roaring  Camp "  appeared,  and  a 
line  of  successors,  more  or  less  worthy,  have 
been  following  along  the  trail  blazed  by 
Bret  Harte.  They  have  given  us  matter  of 
many  kinds,  realistic,  romantic,  tragic,  hu- 
morous, weird.  In  this  mass  of  material 
much  that  was  good  has  been  lost.  The 
columns  of  newspapers  swallowed  some; 
weeklies,  that  lived  for  a  brief  day,  carried 
others  to  the  grave  with  them.  Now  and 
then  chance  or  design  interposed,  and  some 
fragment  of  value  was  not  allowed  to  per- 
ish. It  is  matter  for  congratulation  that  the 
story  in  this  volume  was  one  of  those  saved 
from  oblivion. 

In  1871  a  San  Francisco  paper  published 
a  tale  entitled  The  Case  of  Summerfield. 


THE  INTRODUCTION 

The  author  concealed  himself  under  the 
name  of  "Caxton,"  a  pseudonym  unknown 
at  the  time.  The  story  made  an  immediate 
impression,  and  the  remote  little  world  by 
the  Golden  Gate  was  shaken  into  startled 
and  enquiring  astonishment.  Wherever 
people  met,  The  Case  of  Sttmmerfield 
was  on  men's  tongues.  Was  Caxton's  con- 
tention possible  ?  Was  it  true  that,  by  the 
use  of  potassium,  water  could  be  set  on  fire, 
and  that  any  one  possessing  this  baneful 
secret  could  destroy  the  world  ?  The  plausi- 
bility with  which  the  idea  was  presented, 
the  bare  directness  of  the  style,  added  to  its 
convincing  power.  It  sounded  too  real  to 
be  invention,  was  told  with  too  frank  a 
simplicity  to  be  all  imagination.  People 
could  not  decide  where  truth  and  fiction 
blended,  and  the  name  of  Caxton  leaped  into 
local  fame. 

The  author  of  the  tale  was  a  lawyer,  W. 
H.  Rhodes,  a  man  of  standing  and  ability, 
interested  in  scientific  research.  He  had 
written  littie;  what  time  he  had  been  able 

ii 


THE   INTRODUCTION 

to  spare  from  his  work,  had  been  given  to 
studies  in  chemistry  whence  he  had  drawn 
the  inspiration  for  such  stories  as  The 
Case  of  Summerfield.  With  him  the 
writing  of  fiction  was  a  pastime,  not  a  pro- 
fession. He  wrote  because  he  wanted  to, 
from  the  urgence  of  an  idea  pressing  for  ut- 
terance, not  from  the  more  imperious  neces- 
sity of  keeping  the  pot  boiling  and  of  there 
being  a  roof  against  the  rain.  Literary 
creation  was  to  him  a  rest,  a  matter  of 
holiday  in  the  daily  round  of  a  man's  labor 
to  provide  for  his  own. 

His  output  was  small.  One  slender  vol- 
ume contains  all  he  wrote:  a  few  poems, 
half  a  dozen  stories.  In  all  of  these  we  can 
feel  the  spell  exercised  over  him  by  the  un- 
canny, the  terrible,  the  weirdly  grotesque. 
His  imagination  played  round  those  sub- 
jects of  fantastic  horror  which  had  so  po- 
tent an  attraction  for  Fitz  James  O'Brien, 
the  writer  whom  he  most  resembles.  There 
was  something  of  Poe's  cold  pleasure  in  dis- 
secting the  abnormally  horrible  in  "The 

• .  • 
ill 


THE   INTRODUCTION 

Story  of  John  Pollexfen,"  the  photographer, 
who,  in  order  to  discover  a  certain  kind  of 
lens,  experimented  with  living  eyes.  His  cat 
and  dog  each  lost  an  eye,  and  finally  a 
young  girl  was  found  willing  to  sell  one  of 
hers  that  she  might  have  money  to  help  her 
lover.  But  none  of  the  other  stories  shows 
the  originality  and  impressively  realistic 
tone  which  distinguish  The  Case  ofSum- 
merfield.  In  this  he  achieved  the  success- 
ful combination  of  audacity  of  theme  with  a 
fitting  incisiveness  of  style.  It  alone  rises 
above  the  level  of  the  merely  ingenious  and 
clever;  it  alone  of  his  work  was  worth  pre- 
serving. 

Scattered  through  the  ranks  of  writers, 
part  of  whose  profession  is  a  continuous, 
unflagging  output,  are  these  "one  story 
men,"  who,  in  some  propitious  moment, 
when  the  powers  of  brain  and  heart  are  in- 
tensified by  a  rare  and  happy  alchemy,  pro- 
duce a  single  masterpiece.  The  vision  and 
the  dream  have  once  been  theirs,  and,  though 
they  may  never  again  return,  the  product 

iv 


THE   INTRODUCTION 

of  the  glowing  moment  is  ours  to  rejoice  in 
and  wonder  at.  Unfortunately  the  value  of 
these  accidental  triumphs  is  not  always 
seen.  They  go  their  way  and  are  submerged 
in  the  flood  of  fiction  that  the  presses  pour 
upon  a  defenseless  country.  Now  and  then 
one  unexpectedly  hears  of  them,  their  unfa- 
miliar titles  rise  to  the  surface  when  writers 
gather  round  the  table.  An  investigator  in 
the  forgotten  files  of  magazinedom  has 
found  one,  and  tells  of  his  treasure  trove  as 
the  diver  of  his  newly  discovered  pearl. 
Then  comes  a  publisher,  who,  diligent  and 
patient,  draws  them  from  their  hiding- 
places,  shakes  off  the  dust,  and  gives  them 
to  a  public  which  once  applauded  and  has 
since  forgotten. 

Such  has  been  the  fate  of  The  Case  of 
Svmmerfield.  Thirty-five  years  ago,  in  the 
town  that  clustered  along  the  edge  of  San 
Francisco  Bay,  it  had  its  brief  award  of  at- 
tention. But  the  San  Francisco  of  that  day 
was  very  distant — a  gleam  on  the  horizon 
against  the  blue  line  of  the  Pacific.  It  took 


THE  INTRODUCTION 

a  mighty  impetus  to  carry  its  decisions  and 
opinions  across  the  wall  of  the  Sierra  and 
over  the  desert  to  the  East.  Fame  and 
reputation,  unless  the  greatest,  had  not  vi- 
tality for  so  long  a  flight.  So  the  strange 
and  fantastic  story  should  come  as  a  dis- 
covery, the  one  remarkable  achievement  of 
an  unknown  author,  who,  unfortunately,  is 
no  longer  here  to  enjoy  an  Indian  summer 
of  popularity.  Qeraldine  Bonner. 


VI 


THE  CASE  OF 
SUMMERFIELD 


THE  CASE  OF 
SUMMERFIELD 


The  following  manuscript  was  found 
among  the  effects  of  the  late  Leonidas 
Parker,  in  relation  to  one  Gregory  Summer- 
field,  or,  as  he  was  called  at  the  time  those 
singular  events  first  attracted  public  notice, 
"The  Man  with  a  Secret."  Parker  was  an 
eminent  lawyer,  a  man  of  firm  will,  fond  of 
dabbling  in  the  occult  sciences,  but  never 
allowing  this  tendency  to  interfere  with  the 
earnest  practice  of  his  profession.  This 
astounding  narrative  is  prefaced  by  the  an- 
nexed clipping  from  the  Auburn  Messen- 
ger of  November  1, 1870: 

A  few  days  since,  we  called  public  attention  to 
the  singular  conduct  of  James  G.  Wilkins,  justice 
of  the  peace  for  the  "Cape  Horn"  district,  in  this 
county,  in  discharging  without  trial  a  man  named 
Parker,  who  was,  as  we  still  think,  seriously  im- 
plicated in  the  mysterious  death  of  an  old  man 
named  Summerfield,  who,  our  readers  will  proba- 
bly remember,  met  so  tragical  an  end  on  the  line  of 


THE  CASE  OF  SUMMERFIELD 

the  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  in  the  month  of  Octo- 
ber last.  "We  have  now  to  record  another  bold 
outrage  on  public  justice,  in  connection  with  the 
same  affair.  The  grand  jury  of  Placer  County  has 
just  adjourned,  without  finding  any  bill  against  the 
person  named  above.  Not  only  did  they  refuse  to 
find  a  true  bill,  or  to  make  any  presentment,  but 
they  went  one  step  further  toward  the  exoneration 
of  the  offender ;  they  specially  ignored  the  indict- 
ment which  our  district  attorney  deemed  it  his 
duty  to  present.  The  main  facts  in  relation  to  the 
arrest  and  subsequent  discharge  of  Parker  may  be 
summed  up  in  few  words : 

It  appears  that,  about  the  last  of  October,  one 
Gregory  Summerfield,  an  old  man  nearly  seventy 
years  of  age,  in  company  with  Parker,  took  passage 
for  Chicago,  via  the  Pacific  Railroad,  and  about  the 
middle  of  the  afternoon  reached  the  neighborhood 
of  Cape  Horn,  in  this  county.  Nothing  of  any 
special  importance  seems  to  have  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  any  of  the  passengers  toward  these  per- 
sons until  a  few  moments  before  passing  the 
dangerous  curve  in  the  track,  overlooking  the  North 
Fork  of  the  American  River,  at  the  place  called 
Cape  Horn.  As  our  readers  are  aware,  the  road  at 
this  point  skirts  a  precipice,  with  rocky  perpendic- 
ular sides,  extending  to  the  bed  of  the  stream, 
nearly  seventeen  hundred  feet  below.  Before  pass- 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

ing  the  curve,  Parker  was  heard  to  comment  upon 
the  sublimity  of  the  scenery  they  were  approach- 
ing, and  finally  requested  the  old  man  to  leave  the 
car  and  stand  upon  the  open  platform,  in  order  to 
obtain  a  better  view  of  the  tremendous  chasm  and 
the  mountains  just  beyond.  The  two  men  left  the 
car,  and  a  moment  afterward  a  cry  of  horror  was 
heard  by  all  the  passengers,  and  the  old  man  was 
observed  to  fall  at  least  one  thousand  feet  upon 
the  crags  below.  The  train  was  stopped  for  a  few 
moments,  but,  fearful  of  a  collision  if  any  consider- 
able length  of  time  should  be  lost  in  an  unavailing 
search  for  the  mangled  remains,  it  soon  moved  on 
again,  and  proceeded  as  swiftly  as  possible  to  the 
next  station.  There  the  miscreant  Parker  was  ar- 
rested, and  conveyed  to  the  office  of  the  nearest 
justice  of  the  peace  for  examination.  We  under- 
stand that  he  refused  to  give  any  detailed  account 
of  the  transaction,  only  that  "the  deceased  either 
fell  or  was  thrown  from  the  moving  train." 

The  examination  was  postponed  until  the  arrival 
of  Parker's  counsel,  O'Connell  &  Kilpatrick,  of 
Grass  Valley,  and  after  they  reached  Cape  Horn 
not  a  single  word  could  be  extracted  from  the 
prisoner.  It  is  said  that  the  inquisition  was  a 
mere  farce;  there  being  no  witnesses  present  ex- 
cept one  lady  passenger,  who,  with  commendable 
spirit,  volunteered  to  lay  over  one  day,  to  give  in 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

her  testimony.  We  also  learn  that,  after  the  trial, 
the  justice,  together  with  the  prisoner  and  his 
counsel,  were  closeted  in  secret  session  for  more 
than  two  hours;  at  the  expiration  of  which  time 
the  judge  resumed  his  seat  upon  the  bench,  and 
discharged  the  prisoner ! 

Now,  we  have  no  desire  to  do  injustice  toward 
any  of  the  parties  to  this  singular  transaction, 
much  less  to  arm  public  sentiment  against  an 
innocent  man.  But  we  do  affirm  that  there  is, 
there  must  be,  some  profound  mystery  at  the 
bottom  of  this  affair,  and  we  shall  do  our  utmost 
to  fathom  the  secret. 

Yes,  there  is  a  secret  and  mystery  con- 
nected with  the  disappearance  of  Summer- 
field,  and  the  sole  object  of  this  communi- 
cation is  to  clear  it  up,  and  place  myself 
right  in  the  public  estimation.  But,  in  order 
to  do  so,  it  becomes  essentially  necessary 
to  relate  all  the  circumstances  connected 
with  my  first  and  subsequent  acquaintance 
with  Summerfield.  To  do  this  intelligibly,  I 
shall  have  to  go  back  twenty-two  years. 

It  is  well  known  amongst  my  intimate 
friends  that  I  resided  in  the  late  Republic 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

of  Texas  for  many  years  antecedent  to  my 
immigration  to  this  State.  During  the  year 
1847,  whilst  but  a  boy,  and  residing  on  the 
sea-beach  some  three  or  four  miles  from 
the  city  of  Galveston,  Judge  Wheeler,  at 
that  time  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Texas,  paid  us  a  visit,  and  brought 
with  him  a  gentleman,  whom  he  had  known 
several  years  previously  on  the  Sabine 
River,  in  the  eastern  part  of  that  State.  This 
gentleman  was  introduced  to  us  by  the 
name  of  Summer-field.  At  that  time  he  was 
past  the  prime  of  life,  slightly  gray,  and  in- 
clined to  corpulency.  He  was  of  medium 
height,  and  walked  proudly  erect,  as  though 
conscious  of  superior  mental  attainments. 
His  face  was  one  of  those  which,  once  seen, 
can  never  be  forgotten.  The  forehead  was 
broad,  high,  and  protuberant.  It  was,  be- 
sides, deeply  graven  with  wrinkles,  and 
altogether  was  the  most  intellectual  that  I 
had  ever  seea  It  bore  some  resemblance 
to  that  of  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  but  still  more 
to  Humboldt  or  Webster.  The  eyes  were 

5 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

large,  deep-set,  and  lustrous  with  a  light  that 
seemed  kindled  in  their  own  depths.  In 
color  they  were  gray,  and  whilst  in  conver- 
sation absolutely  blazed  with  intellect.  His 
mouth  was  large,  but  cut  with  all  the  pre- 
cision of  a  sculptor's  chiseling.  He  was 
rather  pale,  but,  when  excited,  his  complex- 
ion lit  up  with  a  sudden  rush  of  ruddy 
flushes,  that  added  something  like  beauty 
to  his  half-sad  and  half-sardonic  expression. 
A  word  and  a  glance  told  me  at  once,  this 
is  a  most  extraordinary  man. 

Judge  Wheeler  knew  but  little  of  the 
antecedents  of  Summer-field.  He  was  of 
Northern  birth,  but  of  what  State  it  is  im- 
possible to  say  definitely.  Early  in  life  he 
removed  to  the  frontier  of  Arkansas,  and 
pursued  for  some  years  the  avocation  of 
village  schoolmaster.  It  was  the  suggestion 
of  Judge  Wheeler  that  induced  him  to  read 
law.  In  six  months'  time  he  had  mastered 
Story's  Equity,  and  gained  an  important 
suit,  based  upon  one  of  its  most  recondite 
principles.  But  his  heart  was  not  in  the  legal 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

profession,  and  he  made  almost  constant 
sallies  into  the  fields  of  science,  literature 
and  art.  He  was  a  natural  mathemati- 
cian and  was  the  most  profound  and  origi- 
nal arithmetician  in  the  Southwest.  He 
frequently  computed  the  astronomical  tables 
for  the  almanacs  of  New  Orleans,  Pensa- 
cola  and  Mobile,  and  calculated  eclipse, 
transit  and  observations  with  ease  and  per- 
fect accuracy.  He  was  also  deeply  read  in 
metaphysics,  and  wrote  and  published,  in 
the  old  Democratic  Review- for  1846,  an 
article  on  the  "  Natural  Proof  of  the  Exist- 
ence of  a  Deity,"  that  for  beauty  of  lan- 
guage, depth  of  reasoning,  versatility  of 
illustration,  and  compactness  of  logic,  has 
never  been  equaled.  The  only  other  publi- 
cation which  at  that  period  he  had  made, 
was  a  book  that  astonished  all  of  his  friends, 
both  in  title  and  execution.  It  was  called 
"The  Desperadoes  of  the  West,"  and  pur- 
ported to  give  minute  details  of  the  lives  of 
some  of  the  most  noted  duelists  and  blood- 
stained villains  in  the  Western  States.  But 


THE  CASE  OF  SUMMERFIELD 

the  book  belied  its  title.  It  is  full  of  splendid 
description  and  original  thought.  No  vol- 
ume in  the  language  contains  so  many  elo- 
quent passages  and  such  gorgeous  imagery, 
in  the  same  space.  His  plea  for  immor- 
tality, on  beholding  the  execution  of  one  of 
the  most  noted  culprits  of  Arkansas,  has  no 
parallel  in  any  living  language  for  beauty 
of  diction  and  power  of  thought.  As  my 
sole  object  in  this  communication  is  to 
defend  myself,  some  acquaintance  with  the 
mental  resources  of  Summerfield  is  abso- 
lutely indispensable;  for  his  death  was  the 
immediate  consequence  of  his  splendid  at- 
tainments. Of  chemistry  he  was  a  com- 
plete master.  He  describes  it  in  his  article 
on  a  Deity,  above  alluded  to,  as  the  "  Young- 
est Daughter  of  the  Sciences,  born  amid 
flames,  and  cradled  in  rollers  of  fire."  If 
there  were  any  one  science  to  which  he 
was  more  specially  devoted  than  to  any 
and  all  others,  it  was  chemistry.  But  he 
really  seemed  an  adept  in  all,  and  shone 
about  everywhere  with  equal  lustre. 

8 


THE  CASE  OF  SUMMERFIELD 

Many  of  these  characteristics  were  men- 
tioned by  Judge  Wheeler  at  the  time  of 
Summerfidd's  visit  to  Gal veston,  but  others 
subsequently  came  to  my  knowledge,  after 
his  retreat  to  Brownsville,  on  the  banks  of 
the  Rio  Grande.  There  he  filled  the  position 
of  judge  of  the  District  Court,  and  such 
was  his  position  just  previous  to  his  arrival 
in  this  city  in  the  month  of  September  of 
the  past  year. 

One  day,  toward  the  dose  of  last  Sep- 
tember, an  old  man  rapped  at  my  office 
door,  and  on  invitation  came  in,  and  ad- 
vancing, called  me  by  name.  Perceiving 
that  I  did  not  at  first  recognize  him,  he 
introduced  himself  as  Gregory  Summer- 
field.  After  inviting  him  to  a  seat,  I  scruti- 
nized his  features  more  closely,  and  quickly 
identified  him  as  the  same  person  whom  I 
had  met  twenty-two  years  before.  He  was 
greatly  altered  in  appearance,  but  the  lofty 
forehead  and  the  gray  eye  were  still  there, 
unchanged  and  unchangeable.  He  was  not 
quite  so  stout,  but  more  ruddy  in  com- 


THE  CASE  OF  SUMMERFIELD 

plexion,  and  exhibited  some  symptoms,  as  I 
then  thought,  of  intemperate  drinking.  Still 
there  was  the  old  charm  of  intellectual 
superiority  in  his  conversation,  and  I  wel- 
comed him  to  California  as  an  important 
addition  to  her  mental  wealth. 

It  was  not  many  minutes  before  he  re- 
quested a  private  interview.  He  followed 
me  into  my  back  office,  carefully  closed  the 
door  after  him  and  locked  it.  We  had 
scarcely  seated  ourselves  before  he  inquired 
of  me  if  I  had  noticed  any  recent  articles  in 
the  newspapers  respecting  the  discovery  of 
the  art  of  decomposing  water  so  as  to  fit  it 
for  use  as  a  fuel  for  ordinary  purposes? 

I  replied  that  I  had  observed  nothing 
new  upon  that  subject  since  the  experi- 
ments of  Agassiz  and  Professor  Henry,  and 
added  that,  in  my  opinion,  the  expensive 
mode  of  reduction  would  always  prevent 
its  use. 

In  a  few  words  he  then  informed  me 
that  he  had  made  the  discovery  that  the 
art  was  extremely  simple,  and  the  expense 

10 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

attending  the  decomposition  so  slight  as  to 
be  insignificant. 

Presuming  then  that  the  object  of  his  visit 
to  me  was  to  procure  the  necessary  forms 
to  get  out  a  patent  for  the  right,  I  congratu- 
lated him  upon  his  good  fortune,  and  was 
about  to  branch  forth  with  a  description  of 
some  of  the  great  benefits  that  must  ensue 
to  the  community,  when  he  suddenly  and 
somewhat  uncivilly  requested  me  to  "be 
silent,"  and  listen  to  what  he  had  to  say. 

He  began  with  some  general  remarks 
about  the  inequality  of  fortune  amongst 
mankind,  and  instanced  himself  as  a  strik- 
ing example  of  the  fate  of  those  men,  who, 
according  to  all  the  rules  of  right,  ought  to 
be  near  the  top,  instead  of  at  the  foot  of  the 
ladder  of  fortune.  "  But,"  said  he,  springing 
to  his  feet  with  impulsive  energy,  "  I  have 
now  the  means  at  my  command  of  rising 
superior  to  fate,  or  of  inflicting  incalculable 
ills  upon  the  whole  human  race." 

Looking  at  him  more  closely,  I  thought  I 
could  detect  in  his  eye  the  gleam  of  mad- 

11 


THE  CASE  OF  SUMMERFIELD 

ness;  but  I  remained  silent  and  awaited 
further  developments.  But  my  scrutiny, 
stolen  as  it  was,  had  been  detected,  and  he 
replied  at  once  to  the  expression  of  my  face : 
"No,  sir;  I  am  neither  drunk  nor  a  maniac; 
I  am  in  deep  earnest  in  all  that  I  say;  and 
I  am  fully  prepared,  by  actual  experiment, 
to  demonstrate  beyond  all  doubt  the  truth 
of  all  I  claim. 

For  the  first  time  I  noticed  that  he  carried 
a  small  portmanteau  in  his  hand;  this  he 
placed  upon  the  table,  unlocked  it,  and  took 
out  two  or  three  small  volumes,  a  pamphlet 
or  two,  and  a  small,  square,  wide-mouthed 
vial,  hermetically  sealed. 

I  watched  him  with  profound  curiosity, 
and  took  note  of  his  slightest  movements. 
Having  arranged  his  books  to  suit  him,  and 
placed  the  vial  in  a  conspicuous  position,  he 
drew  up  his  chair  very  closely  to  my  own, 
and  uttered  in  a  half-hissing  tone:  "I  de- 
mand one  million  dollars  for  the  contents  of 
that  bottle;  and  you  must  raise  it  for  me  in 
the  city  of  San  Francisco  within  one  month, 

12 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

or  scenes  too  terrible  even  for  the  imagina- 
tion to  conceive,  will  surely  be  witnessed  by 
every  living  human  being  on  the  face  of  the 
globe." 

The  tone,  the  manner,  and  the  absurd 
extravagance  of  the  demand,  excited  a  faint 
smile  upon  my  lips,  which  he  observed,  but 
disdained  to  notice. 

My  mind  was  fully  made  up  that  I  had  a 
maniac  to  deal  with,  and  I  prepared  to  act 
accordingly.  But  I  ascertained  at  once  that 
my  inmost  thoughts  were  read  by  the  re- 
markable man  before  me,  and  seemed  to  be 
anticipated  by  him  in  advance  of  their  ex- 
pression. 

"  Perhaps,"  said  I, "  Mr.  Summer-field,  you 
would  oblige  me  by  informing  me  fully  of 
the  grounds  of  your  claim,  and  the  nature 
of  your  discovery." 

"That  is  the  object  of  my  visit,"  he  re- 
plied. "  I  claim  to  have  discovered  the  key 
which  unlocks  the  constituent  gases  of 
water,  and  frees  each  from  the  embrace  of 
the  other,  at  a  single  touch." 

13 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

"  You  mean  to  assert,"  I  rejoined,  "that  you 
can  make  water  burn  itself  up  ?  " 

"Nothing  more  nor  less,"  he  responded, 
"  except  this :  to  insist  upon  the  consequences 
of  the  secret,  if  my  demand  be  not  at  once 
complied  with." 

Then,  without  pausing  for  a  moment  to 
allow  me  to  make  a  suggestion,  as  I  once  or 
twice  attempted  to  do,  he  proceeded  in  a 
clear  and  deliberate  manner,  in  these  words : 
"  I  need  not  inform  you,  sir,  that  when  this 
earth  was  created,  it  consisted  almost  wholly 
of  vapor,  which,  by  condensation,  finally 
became  water.  The  oceans  now  occupy 
more  than  two-thirds  of  the  entire  surface 
of  the  globe.  The  continents  are  mere 
islands  in  the  midst  of  the  seas.  They  are 
everywhere  oceanbound,  and  the  hyper- 
borean north  is  hemmed  in  by  open  polar 
seas.  Such  is  my  first  proposition.  My 
second  embraces  the  constituent  elements 
of  water.  What  is  that  thing  which  we 
call  water?  Chemistry,  that  royal  queen  of 
all  the  sciences,  answers  readily :  '  Water  is 

14 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

but  the  combination  of  two  gases,  oxygen 
and  hydrogen,  and  in  the  proportion  of  eight 
to  one/  In  other  words,  in  order  to  form 
water,  take  eight  parts  of  oxygen  and  one 
of  hydrogen,  mix  them  together,  and  the  re- 
sult or  product  is  water.  You  smile,  sir,  be- 
cause, as  you  very  properly  think,  these  are 
the  elementary  principles  of  science,  and  are 
familiar  to  the  minds  of  every  schoolboy 
twelve  years  of  age.  Yes !  but  what  next? 
Suppose  you  take  these  same  gases  and 
mix  them  in  any  other  proportion,  I  care 
not  what,  and  the  instantaneous  result  is 
heat,  flame,  combustion  of  the  intensest  de- 
scription. The  famous  Drummond  Light, 
that  a  few  years  ago  astonished  Europe — 
what  is  that  but  the  ignited  flame  of  a 
mixture  of  oxygen  and  hydrogen  projected 
against  a  small  piece  of  lime?  What  was 
harmless  as  water,  becomes  the  most  de- 
structive of  all  known  objects  when  decom- 
posed and  mixed  in  any  other  proportion. 
"Now,  suppose  I  fling  the  contents  of 
this  small  vial  into  the  Pacific  Ocean,  what 

15 


THE  CASE  OF  SUMMERFIELD 

would  be  the  result?  Dare  you  contemplate 
it  for  an  instant?  I  do  not  assert  that  the 
entire  surface  of  the  sea  would  instantane- 
ously bubble  up  into  insufferable  flames;  no, 
but  from  the  nucleus  of  a  circle,  of  which 
this  vial  would  be  the  center,  lurid  radii  of 
flames  would  gradually  shoot  outward,  un- 
til the  blazing  circumference  would  roll  in 
vast  billows  of  fire,  upon  the  uttermost 
shores.  Not  all  the  dripping  clouds  of  the 
deluge  could  extinguish  it.  Not  all  the  tears 
of  saints  and  angels  could  for  an  instant 
check  its  progress.  On  and  onward  it  would 
sweep,  with  the  steady  gait  of  destiny,  until 
the  continents  would  melt  with  fervent  heat, 
the  atmosphere  glare  with  the  ominous  con- 
flagration, and  all  living  creatures,  in  land 
and  sea  and  air,  perish  in  one  universal 
catastrophe.' ' 

Then  suddenly  starting  to  his  feet,  he 
drew  himself  up  to  his  full  height,  and  mur- 
mured solemnly,"!  feel  like  a  God!  and  I 
recognize  my  fellow-men  but  as  pygmies 
that  I  spurn  beneath  my  feet." 

16 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

"  Summer-field,"  said  I  calmly, "  there  must 
be  some  strange  error  in  all  this.  You  are 
self-deluded.  The  weapon  which  you  claim 
to  wield  is  one  that  a  good  God  and  a  benef- 
icent Creator  would  never  intrust  to  the 
keeping  of  a  mere  creature.  What,  sir! 
create  a  world  as  grand  and  beautiful  as 
this,  and  hide  within  its  bosom  a  principle 
that  at  any  moment  might  inwrap  it  in 
flames,  and  sink  all  life  in  death  ?  1*11  not  be- 
lieve it;  't  were  blasphemy  to  entertain  the 
thought!" 

"And  yet,"  cried  he  passionately,  "your 
Bible  prophesies  the  same  irreverence. 
Look  at  your  text  in  2d  Peter,  third  chapter, 
seventh  and  twelfth  verses.  Are  not  the  ele- 
ments to  melt  with  fervent  heat  ?  Are  not  the 
'  heavens  to  be  folded  together  like  a  scroll  ? ' 
Are  not  'the  rocks  to  melt,  the  stars  to  fall, 
and  the  moon  to  be  turned  into  blood?'  Is 
not  fire  the  next  grand  cyclic  consummation 
of  all  things  here  below?  But  I  come  fully 
prepared  to  answer  such  objections.  Your 
argument  betrays  a  narrow  mind,  circum- 

17 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

scribed  in  its  orbit,  and  shallow  in  its  depth. 
'Tis  the  common  thought  of  mediocrity. 
You  have  read  books  too  much,  and  studied 
nature  too  little.  Let  me  give  you  a  lesson 
today  in  the  workshop  of  Omnipotence. 
Take  a  stroll  with  me  into  the  limitless  con- 
fines of  space,  and  let  us  observe  together 
some  of  the  scenes  transpiring  at  this  very 
instant  around  us.  A  moment  ago  you  spoke 
of  the  moon :  what  is  she  but  an  extinguished 
world?  You  spoke  of  the  sun:  what  is  he 
but  a  globe  of  flame  ?  But  here  is  the  Cos- 
mos of  Humboldt.  Read  this  paragraph." 
As  he  said  this  he  placed  before  me  the 
Cosmos  of  Humboldt,  and  I  read  as  fol- 
lows: 

Nor  do  the  Heavens  themselves  teach  unchange- 
able permanency  in  the  works  of  creation.  Change 
is  observable  there  quite  as  rapid  and  complete  as 
in  the  confines  of  our  solar  system.  In  the  year 
1752,  one  of  the  small  stars  in  the  constellation 
Cassiopeia  blazed  up  suddenly  into  an  orb  of  the 
first  magnitude,  gradually  decreased  in  brilliancy, 
and  finally  disappeared  from  the  skies.  Nor  has 
it  ever  been  visible  since  that  period  for  a  single 

18 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

moment,  either  to  the  eye  or  to  the  telescope.    It 
burned  up  and  was  lost  in  space. 

"Humboldt,"  he  added, "has  not  told  us 
who  set  that  world  on  fire ! 

"But,"  resumed  he,  "I  have  still  clearer 
proofs." 

Saying  this,  he  thrust  into  my  hands  the 
last  London  Quarterly,  and  on  opening  the 
book  at  an  article  headed  "  The  Language 
of  Light,"  I  read  with  a  feeling  akin  to  awe, 
the  following  passage: 

Further,  some  stars  exhibit  changes  of  com- 
plexion in  themselves.  Sirius,  as  before  stated,  was 
once  a  ruddy,  or  rather  a  fiery-faced  orb,  but  has 
now  forgotten  to  blush,  and  looks  down  upon  us 
with  a  pure,  brilliant  smile,  in  which  there  is  no 
trace  either  of  anger  or  of  shame.  On  the  coun- 
tenances of  others,  still  more  varied  traits  have 
rippled,  within  a  much  briefer  period  of  time.  May 
not  these  be  due  to  some  physiological  revolutions, 
general  or  convulsive,  which  are  in  progress  in  the 
particular  orb,  and  which,  by  affecting  the  consti- 
tution of  its  atmosphere,  compel  the  absorption  or 
promote  the  transmission  of  particular  rays  ?  The 
supposition  appears  by  no  means  improbable, 

19 


THE   CASE  OF  SUMMERFIELD 

especially  if  we  call  to  mind  the  hydrogen  volcanoes 
which  have  been  discovered  on  the  photosphere  of 
the  sun.  Indeed,  there  are  a  few  small  stars  which 
afford  a  spectrum  of  bright  lines  instead  of  dark 
ones,  and  this  we  know  denotes  a  gaseous  or 
vaporized  state  of  things,  from  which  it  maybe  in- 
ferred that  such  orbs  are  in  a  different  condition 
from  most  of  their  relations. 

And,  as  if  for  the  very  purpose  of  throwing  light 
upon  this  interesting  question,  an  event  of  the  most 
striking  character  occurred  in  the  heavens,  almost 
as  soon  as  the  spectroscopists  were  prepared  to  in- 
terpret it  correctly. 

On  the  12th  of  May,  1866,  a  great  conflagration, 
infinitely  larger  than  that  of  London  or  Moscow, 
was  announced.  To  use  the  expression  of  a  dis- 
tinguished astronomer,  a  world  was  found  to  be  on 
fire !  A  star,  which  till  then  had  shone  weakly  and 
unobtrusively  in  the  corona  borealis,  suddenly 
blazed  up  into  a  luminary  of  the  second  magnitude. 
In  the  course  of  three  days  from  its  discovery  in 
this  new  character,  by  Birmingham,  at  Tuam,  it 
had  declined  to  the  third  or  fourth  order  of  bril- 
liancy. In  twelve  days,  dating  from  its  first  appari- 
tion in  the  Irish  heavens,  it  had  sunk  to  the  eighth 
rank,  and  it  went  on  waning  until  the  26th  of  June, 
•when  it  ceased  to  be  discernible  except  through  the 
medium  of  the  telescope.  This  was  a  remarkable, 

20 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

though  certainly  not  an  unprecedented  proceeding 
on  the  part  of  a  star;  but  one  singular  circum- 
stance in  its  behavior  was  that,  after  the  lapse  of 
nearly  two  months,  it  began  to  blaze  up  again, 
though  not  with  equal  ardor,  and  after  maintaining 
its  glow  for  a  few  weeks,  and  passing  through  sun- 
dry phases  of  color,  it  gradually  paled  its  fires,  and 
returned  to  its  former  insignificance.  How  many 
years  had  elapsed  since  this  awful  conflagration 
actually  took  place,  it  would  be  presumptuous  to 
guess ;  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  news  from 
the  heavens,  though  carried  by  the  fleetest  of  mes- 
sengers, light,  reaches  us  long  after  the  event  has 
transpired,  and  that  the  same  celestial  carrier  is 
still  dropping  the  tidings  at  each  station  it  reaches 
in  space,  until  it  sinks  exhausted  by  the  length  of 
its  flight. 

As  the  star  had  suddenly  flamed  up,  was  it  not 
a  natural  supposition  that  it  had  become  inwrapped 
in  burning  hydrogen,  which  in  consequence  of 
some  great  convulsion  had  been  liberated  in  prodi- 
gious quantities,  and  then  combining  with  other 
elements,  had  set  this  hapless  world  on  fire?  In 
such  a  fierce  conflagration,  the  combustible  gas 
would  soon  be  consumed,  and  the  glow  would 
therefore  begin  to  decline,  subject,  as  in  this  case, 
to  a  second  eruption,  which  occasioned  the  renewed 
outburst  of  light  on  the  20th  of  August 

21 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

By  such  a  catastrophe,  it  is  not  wholly  impossi- 
ble that  our  own  globe  may  some  time  be  ravaged ; 
for  if  a  word  from  the  Almighty  were  to  unloose 
for  a  few  moments  the  bonds  of  affinity  which 
unite  the  elements  of  water,  a  single  spark  would 
bring  them  together  with  a  fury  that  would  kindle 
the  funeral  pyre  of  the  human  race,  and  be  fatal  to 
the  planet  and  all  the  works  that  are  thereon. 

"  Your  argument,"  he  then  instantly  add- 
ed, "is  by  no  means  a  good  one.  What 
do  we  know  of  the  Supreme  Architect  of 
the  Universe,  or  of  his  designs?  He  builds 
up  worlds,  and  he  pulls  them  down ;  he  kin- 
dles suns  and  he  extinguishes  them.  He  in- 
flames the  comet,  in  one  portion  of  its  orbit, 
with  a  heat  that  no  human  imagination  can 
conceive  of;  and  in  another,  subjects  the 
same  blazing  orb  to  a  cold  intenser  than 
that  which  invests  forever  the  antarctic  pole. 
All  that  we  know  of  Him  we  gather  through 
His  works.  I  have  shown  you  that  He 
burns  other  worlds,  why  not  this?  The 
habitable  parts  of  our  globe  are  surrounded 
by  water,  and  water  you  know  is  fire  in 
possibility." 

22 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

"But  all  this,"  I  rejoined,  "is  pure,  base- 
less, profitless  speculation." 

"Not  so  fast,"  he  answered.  And  then 
lising,  he  seized  the  small  vial,  and  handing 
it  to  me,  requested  me  to  open  it. 

I  confess  I  did  so  with  some  trepidation. 

"Now  smell  it." 

I  did  so. 

"  'What  odor  do  you  perceive  ?  " 

"Potassium,"  I  replied. 

"Of  course,"  he  added,  "you  are  familiar 
with  the  chief  characteristic  of  that  sub- 
stance. It  ignites  instantly  when  brought 
in  contact  with  water.  Within  that  little 
globule  of  potassium,  I  have  imbedded  a  pill 
of  my  own  composition  and  discovery.  The 
moment  it  is  liberated  from  the  potassium, 
it  commences  the  work  of  decomposing  the 
fluid  on  which  it  floats.  The  potassium  at 
once  ignites  the  liberated  oxygen,  and  the 
conflagration  of  this  mighty  globe  is  be- 
gun." 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "begun,  if  you  please,  but 
your  little  pill  soon  evaporates  or  sinks,  or 

23 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

melts  in  the  surrounding  seas,  and  your  con- 
flagration ends  just  where  it  began." 

"My  reply  to  that  suggestion  could  be 
made  at  once  by  simply  testing  the  experi- 
ment on  a  small  scale,  or  a  large  one,  either. 
But  I  prefer  at  present  to  refute  your  propo- 
sition by  an  argument  drawn  from  nature 
herself.  If  you  correctly  remember,  the  first 
time  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  was 
on  the  island  of  Galveston,  many  years  ago. 
Do  you  remember  relating  to  me  at  that 
time  an  incident  concerning  the  effects  of  a 
prairie  on  fire,  that  you  had  yourself  wit- 
nessed but  a  few  days  previously,  near  the 
town  of  Matagorde  ?  If  I  recollect  correctly, 
you  stated  that  on  your  return  journey  from 
that  place,  you  passed  on  the  way  the 
charred  remains  of  two  wagon-loads  of 
cotton,  and  three  human  beings,  that  the 
night  before  had  perished  in  the  flames ;  that 
three  slaves,  the  property  of  a  Mr.  Horton, 
had  started  a  few  days  before  to  carry  to 
market  a  shipment  of  cotton ;  that  a  norther 
overtook  them  on  a  treeless  prairie,  and  a 

24 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

few  minutes  afterward  they  were  surprised 
by  beholding  a  line  of  rushing  fire,  surging, 
roaring  and  advancing  like  the  resistless 
billows  of  an  ocean  swept  by  a  gale ;  that 
there  was  no  time  for  escape,  and  they  per- 
ished terribly  in  fighting  the  devouring 
element?" 

"Yes;  I  recollect  the  event." 

"  Now,  then,  I  wish  a  reply  to  the  simple 
question :  Did  the  single  spark,  that  kindled 
the  conflagration,  consume  the  negroes  and 
their  charge?  No?  But  what  did?  You 
reply,  of  course,  that  the  spark  set  the  entire 
prairie  on  fire ;  that  each  spear  of  grass  add- 
ed fuel  to  the  flame,  and  kindled  by  degrees 
a  conflagration  that  continued  to  burn  so 
long  as  it  could  feed  on  fresh  material.  The 
pilule  in  that  vial  is  the  little  spark,  the 
oceans  are  the  prairies,  and  the  oxygen  the 
fuel  upon  which  the  fire  is  to  feed  until  the 
globe  perishes  in  inextinguishable  flames. 
The  elementary  substances  in  that  small 
vial  recreate  themselves;  they  are  self- 
generating,  and  when  once  fairly  under  way 

25 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

must  necessarily  sweep  onward,  until  the 
waters  in  all  the  seas  are  exhausted.  There 
is,  however,  one  great  difference  between 
the  burning  of  a  prairie  and  the  combustion 
of  an  ocean:  the  fire  in  the  first  spreads 
slowly,  for  the  fuel  is  difficult  to  ignite;  in 
the  last,  it  flies  with  the  rapidity  of  the  wind, 
for  the  substance  consumed  is  oxygen,  the 
most  inflammable  agent  in  nature." 

Rising  from  my  seat,  I  went  to  the  wash- 
stand  in  the  corner  of  the  apartment,  and 
drawing  a  bowl  half  full  of  Spring  Valley 
water,  I  turned  to  Summerfield,  and  re- 
marked, "Words  are  empty,  theories  are 
ideal — but  facts  are  things." 

"I  take  you  at  your  word."  So  saying,  he 
approached  the  bowl,  emptied  it  of  nine- 
tenths  of  its  contents,  and  silently  dropped 
the  potassium-coated  pill  into  the  liquid. 
The  potassium  danced  around  the  edges  of 
the  vessel,  fuming,  hissing,  and  blazing,  as 
it  always  does,  and  seemed  on  the  point  of 
expiring — when,  to  my  astonishment  and 
alarm,  a  sharp  explosion  took  place,  and  in 

26 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

a  second  of  time  the  water  was  blazing  in  a 
red,  lurid  column,  halfway  to  the  ceiling. 

"  For  God's  sake,"  I  cried, "  extinguish  the 
flames,  or  we  shall  set  the  building  on  fire ! " 

"Had  I  dropped  the  potassium  into  the 
bowl  as  you  prepared  it,"  he  quietly  re- 
marked, "the  building  would  indeed  have 
been  consumed." 

Lower  and  lower  fell  the  flickering  flames, 
paler  and  paler  grew  the  blaze,  until  finally 
the  fire  went  out,  and  I  rushed  up  to  see  the 
effects  of  the  combustion. 

Not  a  drop  of  water  remained  in  the  ves- 
sel! Astonished  beyond  measure  at  what  I 
had  witnessed,  and  terrified  almost  to  the 
verge  of  insanity,  I  approached  Summer- 
field,  and  tremblingly  inquired,  "To  whom, 
sir,  is  this  tremendous  secret  known  ?  "  "  To 
myself  alone,"  he  responded;  "  and  now  an- 
swer me  a  question :  is  it  worth  the  money  ?  " 


It  is  entirely  unnecessary  to  relate  in  de- 
tail the  subsequent  events  connected  with 

27 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

this  transaction.  I  will  only  add  a  general 
statement,  showing  the  results  of  my  nego- 
tiations. Having  fully  satisfied  myself  that 
Summerfield  actually  held  in  his  hands  the 
fate  of  the  whole  world,  with  its  millions  of 
human  beings,  and  by  experiment  having 
tested  the  combustion  of  sea-water,  with 
equal  facility  as  fresh,  I  next  deemed  it  my 
duty  to  call  the  attention  of  a  few  of  the 
principal  men  in  San  Francisco  to  the  ex- 
treme importance  of  Summerfield's  dis- 
covery. 

A  leading  banker,  a  bishop,  a  chemist, 
two  State  university  professors,  a  physician, 
a  judge,  and  two  Protestant  divines,  were 
selected  by  me  to  witness  the  experiment 
on  a  large  scale.  This  was  done  at  a  small 
sand-hill  lake,  near  the  seashore,  but  sepa- 
rated from  it  by  a  ridge  of  lofty  mountains, 
distant  not  more  than  ten  miles  from  San 
Francisco.  Every  single  drop  of  water  in 
the  pool  was  burnt  up  in  less  than  fifteen 
minutes.  We  next  did  all  that  we  could 
to  pacify  Summerfield,  and  endeavored  to 

28 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

induce  him  to  lower  his  price  and  bring  it 
within  the  bounds  of  a  reasonable  possibil- 
ity. But  without  avail.  He  began  to  grow 
urgent  in  his  demands,  and  his  brow  would 
cloud  like  a  tempest-ridden  sky  whenever 
we  approached  him  on  the  subject.  Finally, 
ascertaining  that  no  persuasion  could  soften 
his  heart  or  touch  his  feelings,  a  sub-com- 
mittee was  appointed,  to  endeavor,  if  pos- 
sible, to  raise  the  money  by  subscription. 
Before  taking  that  step,  however,  we  ascer- 
tained beyond  all  question  that  Summerfield 
was  the  sole  custodian  of  his  dread  secret, 
and  that  he  kept  no  written  memorial  of  the 
formula  of  his  prescription.  He  even  went 
so  far  as  to  offer  us  a  penal  bond  that  his 
secret  should  perish  with  him  in  case  we 
complied  with  his  demands. 

The  sub-committee  soon  commenced  work 
amongst  the  wealthiest  citizens  of  San 
Francisco,  and  by  appealing  to  the  terrors 
of  a  few,  and  the  sympathies  of  all,  suc- 
ceeded in  raising  one-half  the  amount 
within  the  prescribed  period.  I  shall  never 

29 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

forget  the  woe-begone  faces  of  California 
Street  during  the  month  of  October.  The 
outside  world  and  the  newspapers  spoke 
most  learnedly  of  a  money  panic — a  pres- 
sure in  business,  and  the  disturbances  in 
the  New  York  gold-room.  But  to  the 
initiated,  there  was  an  easier  solution  of  the 
enigma.  The  pale  spectre  of  Death  looked 
down  upon  them  all,  and  pointed  with  its 
bony  finger  to  the  fiery  tomb  of  the  whole 
race,  already  looming  up  in  the  distance  be- 
fore them.  Day  after  day,  I  could  see  the 
dreadful  ravages  of  this  secret  horror; 
doubly  terrible,  since  they  dared  not  divulge 
it.  Still,  do  all  that  we  could,  the  money 
could  not  be  obtained.  The  day  preceding 
the  last  one  given,  Summerfield  was  sum- 
moned before  the  committee,  and  full  infor- 
mation given  him  of  the  state  of  affairs. 
Obdurate,  hard  and  cruel,  he  still  continued. 
Finally,  a  proposition  was  started,  that  an 
attempt  should  be  made  to  raise  the  other 
half  of  the  money  in  the  city  of  New  York. 
To  this  proposal  Summerfield  ultimately 

30 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

yielded,  but  with  extreme  reluctance.  It 
was  agreed  in  committee  that  I  should 
accompany  him  thither,  and  take  with  me, 
in  my  own  possession,  evidences  of  the  sums 
subscribed  here ;  that  a  proper  appeal  should 
be  made  to  the  leading  capitalists,  scholars 
and  clergymen  of  that  metropolis,  and  that, 
when  the  whole  amount  was  raised,  it 
should  be  paid  over  to  Summerfield,  and  a 
bond  taken  from  him  never  to  divulge  his 
awful  secret  to  any  human  being. 

With  this,  he  seemed  to  be  satisfied,  and 
left  us  to  prepare  for  his  going  the  next 
morning. 

As  soon  as  he  left  the  apartment,  the 
bishop  rose,  and  deprecated  the  action  that 
had  been  taken,  and  characterized  it  as 
childish  and  absurd.  He  declared  that  no 
man  was  safe  one  moment  whilst  "that 
diabolical  wretch"  still  lived;  that  the  only 
security  for  us  all  was  in  his  immediate  ex- 
tirpation from  the  face  of  the  earth,  and 
that  no  amount  of  money  could  seal  his  lips, 
or  close  his  hands.  It  would  be  no  crime,  he 

31 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

said,  to  deprive  him  of  the  means  of  assas- 
sinating the  whole  human  family,  and  that 
as  for  himself  he  was  for  dooming  him  to 
immediate  death. 

With  a  unanimity  that  was  extraordi- 
nary, the  entire  committee  coincided. 

A  great  many  plans  were  proposed,  dis- 
cussed and  rejected,  having  in  view  the  ex- 
termination of  Summerfield.  In  them  all 
there  was  the  want  of  that  proper  caution 
which  would  lull  the  apprehensions  of  an 
enemy;  for  should  he  for  an  instant  suspect 
treachery,  we  knew  his  nature  well  enough 
to  be  satisfied,  that  he  would  waive  all 
ceremonies  and  carry  his  threats  into  imme- 
diate execution. 

It  was  finally  resolved  that  the  trip  to 
New  York  should  not  be  abandoned,  appar- 
ently. But  that  we  were  to  start  out  in 
accordance  with  the  original  program; 
that  during  the  journey,  some  proper  means 
should  be  resorted  to  by  me  to  carry  out 
the  final  intentions  of  the  committee,  and 
that  whatever  I  did  would  be  sanctioned  by 

32 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

them  all,  and  full  protection,  both  in  law 
and  conscience,  afforded  me  in  any  stage  of 
the  proceeding. 

Nothing  was  wanting  but  my  own  con- 
sent; but  this  was  difficult  to  secure. 

At  the  first  view,  it  seemed  to  be  a  most 
horrible  and  unwarrantable  crime  to  deprive 
a  fellow-being  of  life,  under  any  circum- 
stances; but  especially  so  where,  in  meeting 
his  fate,  no  opportunity  was  to  be  afforded 
him  for  preparation  or  repentance.  It  was 
a  long  time  before  I  could  disassociate,  in  my 
mind,  the  two  ideas  of  act  and  intent.  My 
studies  had  long  ago  made  me  perfectly 
familiar  with  the  doctrine  of  the  civil  law, 
that  in  order  to  constitute  guilt,  there  must 
be  a  union  of  action  and  intention.  Taking 
the  property  of  another  is  not  theft,  unless, 
as  the  lawyers  term  it,  there  is  the  animus 
furandi.  So,  in  homicide,  life  may  be  law- 
fully taken  in  some  instances,  whilst  the  deed 
may  be  excused  in  others.  The  sheriff  hangs 
the  felon  and  deprives  him  of  existence; 
yet  nobody  thinks  of  accusing  the  officer 

33 


THE   CASE  OF  SUMMERFIELD 

of  murder.  The  soldier  slays  his  enemy, 
still  the  act  is  considered  heroical.  It  does 
not  therefore  follow  that  human  life  is  too 
sacred  to  be  taken  away  under  all  circum- 
stances. The  point  to  be  considered  was 
thus  narrowed  down  into  one  grand  in- 
quiry, whether  Summerfield  was  properly 
to  be  regarded  as  hostis  humani  generis, 
the  enemy  of  the  human  race,  or  not.  If  he 
should  justly  be  so  considered,  then  it  would 
not  only  be  not  a  crime  to  kill  him,  but  an  act 
worthy  of  the  highest  commendation.  Who 
blamed  McKenzie  for  hanging  Spencer  to 
the  yard-arm?  Yet  in  his  case,  the  lives  of 
only  a  small  ship's  crew  were  in  jeopardy. 
Who  condemned  Pompey  for  exterminating 
the  pirates  from  the  Adriatic?  Yet,  in  his 
case,  only  a  small  portion  of  the  Roman 
Republic  was  liable  to  devastation.  Who 
accuses  Charlotte  Corday  of  assassination 
for  stabbing  Marat  in  his  bath?  Still,  her 
arm  only  saved  the  lives  of  a  few  thousands 
of  revolutionary  Frenchmen.  And  to  come 
down  to  our  own  times,  who  heaps  accusa- 

34 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

tion  upon  the  heads  of  Lincoln,  Thomas  or 
Sheridan,  or  even  Grant,  though  in  march- 
ing to  victory  over  a  crushed  rebellion,  they 
deemed  it  necessary  to  wade  through  seas 
of  human  gore?  If  society  has  the  right  to 
defend  itself  from  the  assaults  of  criminals, 
who,  at  best,  can  only  destroy  a  few  of  its 
members,  why  should  I  hesitate  when  it 
was  apparent  that  the  destiny  of  the  globe 
itself  hung  in  the  balance  ?  If  Summer-field 
should  live  and  carry  out  his  threats,  the 
whole  world  would  feel  the  shock ;  his  death 
was  the  only  path  to  perfect  safety. 

I  asked  the  privilege  of  meditation  for 
one  hour,  at  the  hands  of  the  committee, 
before  I  would  render  a  decision  either  way. 
During  that  recess  the  above  argumenta- 
tion occupied  my  thoughts.  The  time  ex- 
pired, and  I  again  presented  myself  before 
them.  I  did  not  deem  it  requisite  to  state  the 
grounds  of  my  decision;  I  briefly  signified 
my  assent,  and  made  instant  preparation  to 
carry  the  plan  into  execution. 

Having  passed  on  the  line  of  the  Pacific 

35 


THE  CASE  OF  SUMMERFIELD 

Railway  more  than  once,  I  was  perfectly 
familiar  with  all  of  its  windings,  gorges  and 
precipices. 

I  selected  Cape  Horn  as  the  best  adapted 
to  the  purpose,  and  .  .  .  the  public  knows 
the  rest. 

Having  been  fully  acquitted  by  two  tri- 
bunals of  the  law,  I  make  this  final  appeal 
to  my  fellow-men  throughout  the  State,  and 
ask  them  confidently  not  to  reverse  the 
judgments  already  pronounced. 

I  am  conscious  of  no  guilt;  I  feel  no  re- 
morse; I  need  no  repentance.  For  me  jus- 
tice has  no  terrors,  and  conscience  no  sting. 
Let  me  be  judged  solely  by  the  motives 
which  actuated  me,  and  the  importance  of 
the  end  accomplished,  and  I  shall  pass,  un- 
scathed, both  temporal  and  eternal  tribunals. 

Leonidas  Parker. 


36 


ADDITIONAL 
PARTICULARS 


The  following  additional  particulars,  as 
sequel  to  the  Summerfield  homicide,  have 
been  furnished  by  an  Auburn  correspond- 
ent: 

Mr.  Editor:  The  remarkable  confession 
of  the  late  Leonidas  Parker,  which  appeared 
in  your  issue  of  the  13th  ultimo,  has  given 
rise  to  a  series  of  disturbances  in  this  neigh- 
borhood, which,  for  romantic  interest  and 
downright  depravity,  have  seldom  been  sur- 
passed, even  in  California.  Before  proceed- 
ing to  relate  in  detail  the  late  transactions, 
allow  me  to  remark  that  the  wonderful  nar- 
rative of  Parker  excited  throughout  this 
county  sentiments  of  the  most  profound  and 
contradictory  character.  I,  for  one,  halted 
between  two  opinions — horror  and  incredu- 
lity ;  and  nothing  but  subsequent  events  could 
have  fully  satisfied  me  of  the  unquestionable 
veracity  of  your  San  Francisco  correspond- 

37 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

ent,  and  the  scientific  authenticity  of  the 
facts  related. 

The  doubt  with  which  the  story  was  at 
first  received  in  this  community — and  which 
found  utterance  in  a  burlesque  article  in  an 
obscure  country  journal,  the  Stars  and 
Stripes,  of  Auburn — has  finally  been  dis- 
pelled, and  we  find  ourselves  forced  to  admit 
that  we  stand  even  now  in  the  presence  of 
the  most  alarming  fate.  Too  much  credit 
cannot  be  awarded  to  our  worthy  coroner 
for  the  promptitude  of  his  action,  and  we 
trust  that  the  Governor  of  the  State  will  not 
be  less  efficient  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty. 

[  Since  the  above  letter  was  written  the  follow- 
ing proclamation  has  been  issued. —  P.  J.] 

PROCLAMATION  OF  THE  GOVERNOR. 

$10,000  REWARD. 

Department  of  State. 

By  virtue  of  the  authority  in  me  vested,  I  do 
hereby  offer  the  above  reward  of  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars, in  gold  coin  of  the  United  States,  for  the  arrest  of 
Bartholomew  Graham,  familiarly  known  as  "  Black 
Bart,"  Said  Graham  is  accused  of  the  murder  of 

38 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

C.  P.  Gillson,  late  of  Auburn,  county  of  Placer,  on 
the  14th  ultimo.  He  is  five  feet  ten  inches  and  a 
half  in  height,  thick  set,  has  a  mustache  sprinkled 
with  gray,  grizzled  hair,  clear  blue  eyes,  walks 
stooping,  and  served  in  the  late  civil  war,  under 
Price  and  Quantrell,  in  the  Confederate  army.  He 
may  be  lurking  in  some  of  the  mining-camps  near 
the  foot-hills,  as  he  was  a  Washoe  teamster  during 
the  Comstock  excitement.  The  above  reward  will 
be  paid  for  him,  dead  or  alive,  as  he  possessed 
himself  of  an  important  secret  by  robbing  the  body 
of  the  late  Gregory  Summerfield. 

By  the  Governor :  H.  G.  Nicholson, 

Secretary  of  State. 

Given  at  Sacramento,  this  the  fifth  day  of  June, 
1871. 

Our  correspondent  continues: 

I  am  sorry  to  say  that  Sheriff  Higgins 
has  not  been  so  active  in  the  discharge  of 
his  duty  as  the  urgency  of  the  case  required, 
but  he  is  perhaps  excusable  on  account  of 
the  criminal  interference  of  the  editor  above 
alluded  to.  But  I  am  detaining  you  from 
more  important  matters.  Your  Saturday's 
paper  reached  here  at  4  o'clock  Saturday, 

39 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

13th  May,  and,  as  it  now  appears  from  the 
evidence  taken  before  the  coroner,  several 
persons  left  Auburn  on  the  same  errand,  but 
without  any  previous  conference.  Two  of 
these  were  named  respectively  Charles  P. 
Gillson  and  Bartholomew  Graham,  or,  as  he 
was  usually  called,  "Black  Bart."  Gillson 
kept  a  saloon  at  the  corner  of  Prickly  Ash 
Street  and  the  Old  Spring  Road;  and  Black 
Bart  was  in  the  employ  of  Conrad  C&>  Co., 
keepers  of  the  Norfolk  Li  very  Stable.  Gillson 
was  a  son-in-law  of  ex-Governor  Roberts, 
of  Iowa,  and  leaves  a  wife  and  two  children 
to  mourn  his  untimely  end.  As  for  Graham, 
nothing  certain  is  known  of  his  antecedents. 
It  is  said  that  he  was  engaged  in  the  late 
robbery  of  Wells  £&  Fargo's  express  at 
Grizzly  Bend,  and  that  he  was  an  habitual 
gambler.  Only  one  thing  about  him  is 
certainly  well  known:  he  was  a  lieutenant 
in  the  Confederate  army,  and  served  under 
General  Price  and  the  outlaw  Quantrell. 
He  was  a  man  originally  of  fine  education, 
plausible  manners  and  good  family,  but 

40 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

strong  drink  seems  early  in  life  to  have  over- 
mastered him,  and  left  him  but  a  wreck  of 
himself.  But  he  was  not  incapable  of  gene- 
rous or,  rather,  romantic  acts;  for,  during 
the  burning  of  the  Putnam  House  in  this 
town  last  summer,  he  rescued  two  ladies 
from  the  flames.  In  so  doing  he  scorched 
his  left  hand  so  seriously  as  to  contract  the 
tendons  of  two  fingers,  and  this  very  scar 
may  lead  to  his  apprehension.  There  is  no 
doubt  about  his  utter  desperation  of  char- 
acter, and,  if  taken  at  all,  it  will  probably  be 
not  alive. 

So  much  for  the  persons  concerned  in  the 
tragedy  at  the  Flat. 

Herewith  I  inclose  copies  of  the  testimony 
of  the  witnesses  examined  before  the  coro- 
ner's jury,  together  with  the  statement  of 
Gillson,  taken  in  articulo  mortis: 

DEPOSITION  OF  DOLLIE  ADAMS. 

State  of  California,  ) 
County  of  Placer.  >  ss* 

Said  witness,  being  duly  sworn,  deposes  as  fol- 
lows, to  wit :  My  name  is  Dolly  Adams,  my  age 

41 


THE  CASE  OF  SUMMERFIELD 

forty-seven  years ;  I  am  the  wife  of  Frank  G.  Adams, 
of  this  township,  and  reside  on  the  North  Fork  of 
the  American  River,  below  Cape  Horn,  on  Thomp- 
son's Flat.  About  one  o'clock  p.  m.,  May  14,  1871, 
I  left  the  cabin  to  gather  wood  to  cook  dinner  for 
my  husband  and  the  hands  at  work  for  him  on  the 
claim.  The  trees  are  mostly  cut  away  from  the  bot- 
tom, and  I  had  to  climb  some  distance  up  the 
mountainside  before  I  could  get  enough  to  kindle 
the  fire.  I  had  gone  about  five  hundred  yards  from 
the  cabin,  and  was  searching  for  small  sticks  of 
fallen  timber,  when  I  thought  I  heard  some  one 
groan,  as  if  in  pain.  I  paused  and  listened;  the 
groaning  became  more  distinct,  and  I  started  at  once 
for  the  place  whence  the  sounds  proceeded;  about 
ten  steps  off  I  discovered  the  man  whose  remains 
lie  there  (pointing  to  the  deceased),  sitting  up, 
with  his  back  against  a  big  rock.  He  looked  so  pale 
that  I  thought  him  already  dead,  but  he  continued 
to  moan  until  I  reached  his  side.  Hearing  me 
approach,  he  opened  his  eyes,  and  begged  me,  "For 
God's  sake,  give  me  a  drop  of  water ! "  I  asked  him, 
"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  He  replied, "  I  am  shot  in 
the  back."  "Dangerously?"  I  demanded.  "Fa- 
tally!" he  faltered.  Without  waiting  to  question 
him  further,  I  returned  to  the  cabin,  told  Zenie,  my 
daughter,  what  I  had  seen,  and  sent  her  off  on  a  run 
for  the  men.  Taking  with  me  a  gourd  of  water, 

42 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

some  milk  and  bread  —  for  I  thought  the  poor  gen- 
tleman might  be  hungry  and  weak,  as  well  as 
wounded — I  hurried  back  to  his  side,  where  I  re- 
mained until  "father" — as  we  all  call  my  hus- 
band —  came  with  the  men.  We  removed  him  as 
gently  as  we  could  to  the  cabin ;  then  sent  for  Dr. 
Liebner,  and  nursed  him  until  he  died,  yesterday, 
just  at  sunset 

Question  by  the  Coroner :  Did  you  hear  his  state- 
ment, taken  down  by  the  Assistant  District- Attor- 
ney?— A.  I  did. 

Q.  Did  you  see  him  sign  it? — A.  Yes, sir. 

Q.  Is  this  your  signature  thereto  as  witness  ?  — 
A.  It  is,  sir.  (signed)  DoUie  Adams. 

DEPOSITION  OF  MISS  X.  V.  ADAMS. 

Being  first  duly  sworn,  witness  testified  as  fol- 
lows: My  name  is  Xixenia  Volumnia  Adams;  I  am 
the  daughter  of  Frank  G.  Adams  and  the  last  wit- 
ness; I  reside  with  them  on  the  Flat,  and  my  age 
is  eighteen  years.  A  little  past  one  o'clock  on  Sunday 
last  my  mother  came  running  into  the  house  and 
informed  me  that  a  man  was  dying  on  the  side-hill. 
from  a  wound,  and  that  I  must  go  for  father  and 
the  boys  immediately.  I  ran  as  fast  as  my  legs 
would  carry  me  to  where  they  were  "cleaning  up," 
for  they  never  cleaned  up  week-days  on  the  Flat, 

43 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

and  told  the  news;  we  all  came  back  together  and 
proceeded  to  the  spot  where  the  wounded  man  lay 
weltering  in  his  blood;  he  was  cautiously  removed 
to  the  cabin,  where  he  lingered  until  yesterday 
sundown,  when  he  died. 

Question.  Did  he  speak  after  he  reached  the 
cabin?  —  A.  He  did  frequently;  at  first  with 
great  pain,  but  afterward  more  audibly  and  intel- 
ligibly. 

Q.  What  did  he  say? — A.  First,  to  send  for 
Squire  Jacobs,  the  Assistant  District-Attorney,  as 
he  had  a  statement  to  make;  and  some  time  after- 
ward, to  send  for  his  wife;  but  we  first  of  all  sent 
for  the  doctor. 

Q.  Who  was  present  when  he  died? — A.  Only 
myself;  he  had  appeared  a  great  deal  easier,  and 
his  wife  had  lain  down  to  take  a  short  nap,  and  my 
mother  had  gone  to  the  spring  and  left  me  alone  to 
watch.  Suddenly  he  lifted  himself  spasmodically  in 
bed,  glared  around  wildly  and  muttered  something 
inaudible;  seeing  me,  he  cried  out,  "Run!  run!  run! 
He  has  it!  Black  Bart  has  got  the  vial!  Quick! 
or  he'll  set  the  world  afire!  See,  he  opens  it!  O 
my  God!  Look!  look!  look!  Hold  his  hands!  tie 
him!  chain  him  down!  Too  late!  too  late!  oh,  the 
flames!  Fire!  fire!  fire!"  His  tone  of  voice  gradu- 
ally strengthened  until  the  end  of  his  raving;  when 
he  cried  "fire!"  his  eyeballs  glared,  his  mouth 

44 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

quivered,   his  body  convulsed,   and  before  Mrs. 
Gillson  could  reach  his  bedside  he  fell  back  stone 

dead'  (Signed)  X.  V.  Adams. 

The  testimony  of  Adams  corroborated  in 
every  particular  that  of  his  wife  and  daugh- 
ter, but  set  forth  more  fully  the  particulars 
of  his  demoniac  ravings.  He  would  taste 
nothing  from  a  glass  or  bottle,  but  shuddered 
whenever  any  article  of  that  sort  met  his 
eyes.  In  fact,  they  had  to  remove  from  the 
room  the  cups,  tumblers,  and  even  the  cas- 
tors. At  times  he  spoke  rationally,  but  after 
the  second  day  only  in  momentary  flashes 
of  sanity. 

The  deposition  of  the  attending  physician, 
after  giving  the  general  facts  with  regard  to 
the  sickness  of  the  patient  and  his  subse- 
quent demise,  proceeded  thus: 

I  found  the  patient  weak,  and  suffering  from  loss 
of  blood  and  rest,  and  want  of  nourishment;  occa- 
sionally sane,  but  for  the  most  part  flighty  and  in 
a  comatose  condition.  The  wound  was  an  ordi- 
nary gunshot  wound,  produced  most  probably  by 

45 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

the  ball  of  a  navy  revolver,  fired  at  the  distance  of 
ten  paces.  It  entered  the  back  near  the  left  clavicle, 
beneath  the  scapula,  close  to  the  vertebrae  between 
the  intercostal  spaces  of  the  fifth  and  sixth  ribs ; 
grazing  the  pericardium  it  traversed  the  mediasti- 
num, barely  touching  the  oesophagus,  and  vena 
azygos,  but  completely  severing  the  thoracic  duct, 
and  lodging  in  the  xiphoid  portion  of  the  sternum. 
Necessarily  fatal,  there  was  no  reason,  however, 
why  the  patient  could  not  linger  for  a  week  or  more ; 
but  it  is  no  less  certain  that  from  the  effect  of  the 
wound  he  ultimately  died.  I  witnessed  the  execu- 
tion of  the  paper  shown  to  me  —  as  the  statement 
of  deceased  —  at  his  request;  and  at  the  time  of 
signing  the  same  he  was  in  his  perfect  senses.  It 
was  taken  down  in  my  presence  by  Jacobs,  the 
Assistant  District-Attorney  of  Placer  County,  and 
read  over  to  the  deceased  before  he  affixed  his  sig- 
nature. I  was  not  present  when  he  breathed  his 
last,  having  been  called  away  by  my  patients  in  the 
town  of  Auburn,  but  I  reached  his  bedside  shortly 
afterward.  In  my  judgment,  no  amount  of  care  or 
medical  attention  could  have  prolonged  his  life 
more  than  a  few  days. 

(  Signed  )        Karl  Liebner,  M.  D. 

The  statement  of  the  deceased  was  then 
introduced  to  the  jury  as  follows: 

46 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 
People  of  the  State  of  California, ) 

vs. 

Bartholomew  Graham.          J 

Statement  and  Dying  Confession  of  Charles  P.  Gill- 
son,  taken  in  articulo  mortis  by  George  Simp- 
son, Notary  Public. 

On  the  morning  of  Sunday,  the  14th  day  of  May, 
1871, 1  left  Auburn  alone  in  search  of  the  body  of 
the  late  Gregory  Summerfield,  who  -was  reported 
to  have  been  pushed  from  the  cars  at  Cape  Horn, 
in  this  county,  by  one  Leonidas  Parker,  since  de- 
ceased. It  was  not  fully  light  when  I  reached  the 
track  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad.  Having  mined 
at  an  early  day  on  Thompson's  Flat,  at  the  foot  of 
the  rocky  promontory  now  called  Cape  Horn,  I  was 
familiar  with  the  zigzag  paths  leading  down  that 
steep  precipice.  One  was  generally  used  as  a  de- 
scent, the  other  as  an  ascent  from  the  canon  below. 
I  chose  the  latter,  as  being  the  freest  from  the 
chance  of  observation.  It  required  the  greatest 
caution  to  thread  the  narrow  gorge;  but  I  final- 
ly reached  the  rocky  bench,  about  one  thousand 
feet  below  the  grade  of  the  railroad.  It  -was  now 
broad  daylight,  and  I  commenced  cautiously  the 
search  for  Summerfield's  body.  There  is  quite  a 
dense  undergrowth  of  shrubs  thereabouts,  lining 
the  interstices  of  the  granite  rocks  so  as  to  obscure 
the  vision  even  at  a  short  distance.  Brushing 

47 


THE  CASE  OF  S  U  M  ME  RFIEL  D 

aside  a  thick  manzanita  bush,  I  beheld  the  dead 
man  at  the  same  instant  of  time  that  another  per- 
son arrived  like  an  apparition  upon  the  spot  It  was 
Bartholomew  Graham,  known  as  "  Black  Bart."  We 
suddenly  confronted  each  other,  the  skeleton  of 
Summerfield  lying  exactly  between  us.  Our  recog- 
nition was  mutual.  Graham  advanced,  and  I  did 
the  same ;  he  stretched  out  his  hand  and  we  greeted 
one  another  across  the  prostrate  corpse. 

Before  releasing  my  hand,  Black  Bart  exclaimed 
in  a  hoarse  whisper,  "  Swear,  Gillson,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  dead,  that  you  will  forever  be  faithful, 
never  betray  me,  and  do  exactly  as  I  bid  you,  as 
long  as  you  live ! " 

I  looked  him  full  in  the  eye.  Fate  sat  there,  cold 
and  remorseless  as  stone.  I  hesitated;  with  his 
left  hand  he  slightly  raised  the  lapels  of  his  coat, 
and  grasped  the  handle  of  a  navy  revolver. 

"  Swear ! "  again  he  cried. 

As  I  gazed,  his  eyeballs  assumed  a  greenish  tint, 
and  his  brow  darkened  into  a  scowl.  "As  your 
confederate,"  I  answered,  "  never  as  your  slave." 

"  Be  it  so ! "  was  his  only  reply. 

The  body  was  lying  upon  its  back,  with  the  face 
upwards.  The  vultures  had  despoiled  the  counte- 
nance of  every  vestige  of  flesh,  and  left  the  sockets 
of  the  eyes  empty.  Snow  and  ice  and  rain  had 
done  their  work  effectually  upon  the  exposed  sur- 

48 


THE   CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

faces  of  his  clothing,  and  the  eagles  had  feasted 
upon  the  entrails.  But  underneath,  the  thick  beaver 
cloth  had  served  to  protect  the  flesh,  and  there 
were  some  decaying  shreds  left  of  what  had  once 
been  the  terrible  but  accomplished  Gregory  Sum- 
merfield.  A  glance  told  us  all  these  things.  But 
they  did  not  interest  me  so  much  as  another  spec- 
tacle, that  almost  froze  my  blood.  In  the  skeleton 
gripe  of  the  right  hand,  interlaced  within  the 
clenched  bones,  gleamed  the  wide-mouthed  vial 
which  was  the  object  of  our  mutual  visit.  Graham 
fell  upon  his  knees,  and  attempted  to  withdraw  the 
prize  from  the  grasp  of  its  dead  possessor.  But 
the  bones  were  firm,  and  when  he  finally  succeed- 
ed in  securing  the  bottle,  by  a  sudden  wrench,  I 
heard  the  skeleton  fingers  snap  like  pipe-stems. 

"  Hold  this  a  moment,  whilst  I  search  the  pock- 
ets," he  commanded. 

I  did  as  directed. 

He  then  turned  over  the  corpse,  and  thrusting 
his  hand  into  the  inner  breast-pocket,  dragged  out 
a  roll  of  MSS,,  matted  closely  together  and  stained 
by  the  winter's  rains.  A  further  search  eventuated 
in  finding  a  roll  of  small  gold  coin,  a  set  of  derringer 
pistols,  a  rusted  double-edged  dirk,  and  a  pair  of 
silver-mounted  spectacles.  Hastily  covering  over 
the  body  with  leaves  and  branches  cut  from  the 
embowering  shrubs,  we  shudderingly  left  the  spot 

49 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

We  slowly  descended  the  gorge  toward  the 
banks  of  the  American  River,  until  we  arrived  in  a 
small  but  sequestered  thicket,  where  we  threw 
ourselves  upon  the  ground.  Neither  had  spoken  a 
word  since  we  left  the  scene  above  described. 
Graham  was  the  first  to  break  the  silence  which 
to  me  had  become  oppressive. 

"  Let  us  examine  the  vial  and  see  if  the  contents 
are  safe." 

I  drew  it  from  my  pocket  and  handed  it  to  him. 

"Sealed  hermetically,  and  perfectly  secure,"  he 
added.  Saying  this,  he  deliberately  wrapped  it  up 
in  a  handkerchief  and  placed  it  in  his  bosom. 

"  What  shall  we  do  with  our  prize  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Our  prize  ?  "  As  he  said  this  he  laughed  deri- 
sively, and  cast  a  most  scornful  and  threatening 
glance  toward  me. 

"  Yes,"  I  rejoined  firmly ;  "  our  prize ! " 

"Gillson,"  retorted  Graham,  "you  must  regard 
me  as  a  consummate  simpleton,  or  yourself  a  Go- 
liath. This  bottle  is  mine,  and  mine  only.  It  is  a 
great  fortune  for  one,  but  of  less  value  than  a  toad- 
stool for  two.  I  am  willing  to  divide  fairly.  This 
secret  would  be  of  no  service  to  a  coward.  He 
would  not  dare  to  use  it  Your  share  of  the  rob- 
bery of  the  body  shall  be  these  MSS. ;  you  can  sell 
them  to  some  poor  devil  of  a  printer,  and  pay  your- 
self for  your  day's  work." 

50 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

Saying  this  he  threw  the  bundle  of  MSS.  at  my 
feet;  but  I  disdained  to  touch  them.  Observing 
this,  he  gathered  them  up  safely  and  replaced  them 
in  his  pocket  "  As  you  are  unarmed,"  he  said,  "it 
would  not  be  safe  for  you  to  be  seen  in  this  neigh- 
borhood during  daylight  We  will  both  spend  the 
night  here,  and  just  before  morning  return  to  Au- 
burn. I  will  accompany  you  part  of  the  distance." 

With  the  sangfroid  of  a  perfect  desperado,  he 
then  stretched  himself  out  in  the  shadow  of  a  small 
tree,  drank  deeply  from  a  whiskey  flagon  which  he 
produced,  and  pulling  his  hat  over  his  eyes,  'was 
soon  asleep  and  snoring.  It  was  a  long  time  before 
I  could  believe  the  evidence  of  my  own  senses. 
Finally,  I  approached  the  ruffian,  and  placed  my 
hand  on  his  shoulder.  He  did  not  stir  a  muscle. 
I  listened ;  I  heard  only  the  deep,  slow  breathing  of 
profound  slumber.  Resolved  not  to  be  balked  and 
defrauded  by  such  a  scoundrel,  I  stealthily  with- 
drew the  vial  from  his  pocket  and  sprang  to  my 
feet,  just  in  time  to  hear  the  click  of  a  revolver  be- 
hind me.  I  was  betrayed!  I  remember  only  a 
flash  and  an  explosion  —  a  deathly  sensation,  a 
whirl  of  the  rocks  and  trees  about  me,  a  hideous 
imprecation  from  the  lips  of  my  murderer,  and  I 
fell  senseless  to  the  earth.  When  I  awoke  to  con- 
sciousness it  was  past  midnight.  I  looked  up  at 
the  stars,  and  recognized  Lyra  shining  full  in  my 

51 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

face.  That  constellation,  I  knew,  passed  the  me- 
ridian at  this  season  of  the  year  after  twelve  o'clock, 
and  its  slow  march  told  me  that  many  weary 
hours  would  intervene  before  daylight  My  right 
arm  was  paralyzed,  but  I  put  forth  my  left,  and  it 
rested  in  a  pool  of  my  own  blood.  "  Oh,  for  one 
drop  of  water!"  I  exclaimed, faintly ;  but  only  the 
low  sighing  of  the  night  blast  responded.  Again  I 
fainted.  Shortly  after  daylight  I  revived,  and  crawled 
to  the  spot  where  I  was  discovered  on  the  next  day 
by  the  kind  mistress  of  this  cabin.  You  know  the 
rest  I  accuse  Bartholomew  Graham  of  my  assas- 
sination. I  do  this  in  the  perfect  possession  of  my 
senses,  and  with  a  full  sense  of  my  responsibility  to 
Almighty  God.  (signed)  C.  P.  Gillson. 

George  Simpson,  Notary  Public. 

Chris.  Jacobs,  Assistant  District- Attorney. 

Dollie Adams,)  WitnesseSt 
Karl  Liebner,  j 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  verdict  of 
the  coroner's  jury: 

County  of  Placer,       ) 
Cape  Horn  Township. ) 

In  re  C.  P.  Gillson,  late  of  said  county,  deceased. 

We,  the  undersigned,  coroner's  jury,  summoned 
in  the  foregoing  case  to  examine  into  the  causes  of 

52 


THE  CASE   OF  SUMMERFIELD 

the  death  of  said  Gillson,  do  find  that  he  came  to 
his  death  at  the  hands  of  Bartholomew  Graham, 
usually  called  "Black  Bart,"  on  Wednesday,  the 
17th  May,  1871.  And  we  further  find  said  Graham 
guilty  of  murder  in  the  first  degree,  and  recom- 
mend his  immediate  apprehension. 

(Signed)        John  Quillan, 

Peter  Mclntyre, 
Abel  George, 
Alex.  Scriber, 

(  Correct : )  Wm.  A.  Thompson. 

Thos.  J.  Alwyn, 

Coroner. 

The  above  documents  constitute  the  pa- 
pers introduced  before  the  coroner.  Should 
anything  of  further  interest  occur,  I  will  keep 
you  fully  advised.  Powhattan  Jones. 

Since  the  above  was  in  type  we  have  re- 
ceived from  our  esteemed  San  Francisco 
correspondent  the  following  letter: 

San  Francisco,  June  8,  1871. 
Mr.  Editor :   On  entering  my  office  this  morning 
I  found  a  bundle  of  MSS.  which  had  been  thrown 
in  at  the  transom  over  the   door,  labeled,  "The 

53 


THE  CASE  OF  SUMMERFIELD 

Summerfield  MSS."  Attached  to  them  was  an  un- 
sealed note  from  one  Bartholomew  Graham,  in 
these  words: 

Dear  Sir:  These  are  yours;  you  have  earned 
them.  I  commend  to  your  especial  notice  the  one 
styled,  " De  Mundo  Comburendo."  At  a  future 
time  you  may  hear  again  from 

Bartholomew  Graham. 

A  casual  glance  at  the  papers  convinces  me  that 
they  are  of  great  literary  value.  Summerfield's 
fame  never  burned  so  brightly  as  it  does  over  his 
grave.  Will  you  publish  the  MSS.? 


54 


HERE  ENDS  N?.  TWO  WESTERN  CLASSICS 
CONTAINING  THE  CASE  OF  SUMMERFIELD 
BY  W.  H.  RHODES  AN  INTRODUCTION  BY 
GERALDINE  BONNER  AND  A  FRONTISPIECE 
AFTER  A  PAINTING  BY  GALEN  J.  PERRETT 
THE  TYPOGRAPHY  DESIGNED  BY  J.  H.  NASH 
OF  THIS  FIRST  EDITION  ONE  THOUSAND 
COPIES  HAVE  BEEN  ISSUED  PRINTED  ON 
FABRIANO  HANDMADE  PAPER  PUBLISHED 
BY  PAUL  ELDER  AND  COMPANY  AND  DONE 
INTO  A  BOOK  FOR  THEM  AT  THE  TOMOYE 
PRESS  IN  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK  MCMVII 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 

RENEWED  BOOKS  ARE  SUBJECT  TO  IMMEDIATE 
RECALL 


LIBRARY,  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  DAVIS 

Book  Slip-70m-9,'65(F7151s4)458 


N°  413502 


Rhodes,  W.H. 

The  case  of 
Summerfield. 


PS2698 
RU3 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


